Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many roles were added to the Tier 2 shortage occupation list in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

The independent Migration Advisory Committee advises the Government on suggested changes to the Shortage Occupation List.

There were no additions to the Shortage Occupation List in 2010, 2012 or 2014.

In 2011, 33 roles were added to the list and 29 roles were removed.

In 2013, 28 roles were added to the list and 27 roles were removed.

The number of roles on the list at any one time is not an accurate measure of the extent of skills shortages in the UK economy, as some roles may be more specialised or more narrowly defined. The Migration Advisory Committee
estimates that roles on the current list employ around 180,000 people in total (resident workers as well as migrants) compared to around 500,000 people in roles on the list in 2010.